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Last week Edwin Chandler was exonerated. Mr. Chandler had served nine years in prison and seven years on parole for crimes that he did not commit.

When the case was prosecuted in 1995, the prosecutor said he “had no doubt that the right man went to prison.”

Eyewitness error and Mr. Chandler’s own false confession to police led to this wrongful conviction. Mr. Chandler described his false confession as “having to explain yourself to someone who doesn’t believe you, it’s kind of like bumping your head against the wall…I thought if I tell them what they want to know, they’ll leave me alone.” The interrogation tactics and coaching which led to Mr. Chandler’s false confession meant that the actual murderer was allowed to walk free for 20 years after the incident.

The Kentucky Innocence Project was able to get tested physical evidence that had not been used at trial. The physical evidence matched another man, who has been indicted for the crimes.

The Jefferson Circuit Court Judge, Hon. Frederic J. Cowan, said, “All I can do at this point is apologize to you on behalf of the criminal justice system…”